[Question] Preview persistence when switching from previewable buffer to non-previewable recent file

[doneself]

Hi ,

I have a question regarding the preview behavior in consult-buffer when mixing sources with different preview configurations.

Context

I use consult-buffer which aggregates multiple sources (buffers, recent files, etc.).
My configuration is as follows:

• Buffers: Auto-preview enabled (default).
• Recent Files: Preview disabled (configured via consult-customize with a specific :preview-key, so they do not auto-preview).

(consult-customize
 consult-bookmark
 consult-source-bookmark
 consult-source-recent-file
 :preview-key "M-.") ;; Only preview files/bookmarks on explicit key press

The Issue

I encountered a scenario where the preview window does not clear when the selection moves from a previewable candidate to a non-previewable one.

Reproduction Steps:

1. Assume I have an open buffer named "aaa".
2. Assume I have a recent file named "aaab".
3. I invoke M-x consult-buffer.
4. I type "aaa":
   • The candidate "aaa" (buffer) is selected.
   • Result: The buffer "aaa" is previewed correctly.
5. I continue typing "b" so the input becomes "aaab":
   • The selection switches to "aaab" (recent file).
   • Since I configured recent files to not auto-preview, no new preview is triggered for "aaab".
   • Problem: The preview window still shows the previous buffer "aaa".

Expected Behavior

When the selection switches to a candidate that does not trigger a preview (either because auto-preview is off for that source or the specific :preview-key hasn't been pressed), I expected the preview window to be cleared (restored to the original state).

Currently, seeing the stale preview of "aaa" while "aaab" is selected feels misleading, as it suggests "aaa" is still the active context.

Question

1. Is this persistent preview behavior intentional? (i.e., Should the user explicitly clear the preview or select another previewable item to remove it?)
2. If it is intentional, is there a recommended way to configure consult such that selecting a non-previewable candidate automatically clears any existing preview?

[minad]

This is intentional, since otherwise the preview buffer would too often switch back to the original buffer, which would lead to a lot of flicker.